Loose-leaf binder



May l, 1928.

H. C. MILLER LoosE LEAF BINLER Filed June 25. 19.25

May l, 1928.

H. C. MILLER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed June -25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet? IIIIIIIIIIIIII@ III 1. 4

Il all `Patented May l, 1928.

UNITEDSTATES rzrrna'r4 OFFICE,

HENRY MILLER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN; FIRST .WISCONSIN TRUST COMPANY F MILWAUKEE, EXECUTOR 0F SAID HENRY C, MILLER, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 II. C. MILLER COMPANY,.OF

SIN, A CORPORATION OF VWISCONSIN.

MILWAUKEE, WISCON'-,

LoosnLnAF BINDER.

Application fixed June 25, 1925. serial No.` 39,511.

' This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in loose-leaf binders and has as one ofI its objects the provision of im roved means whereby the binder heads may e readily releasably secured in any position of adjustment.

Another object of this invention resides inthe provision of an improved lever means for facilitating the quick locking and releasing of the tensionon the iiexible posts of a loose-leaf binder.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of improved means for securing the sections of a loose-leaf binder in locked position which'will maintain a tension on the binder posts at all times while in locked position. Y n i With the above and other Vobjects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it ybeing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the' hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims. l In the accompanying drawings, If have illustrated several complete examples of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best modes I have v so far devised for the of the principles thereo andin which:

Figure 1 is a view Alooking at the end of a loose-leaf binder embodying my invention, the loose-leafY sheets being removed and parts being in section and in elevation,l said view being taken through Figure 2 on the plane ofthe line 1-1; l 40 Figure 2 is a top lan View of that type of loose-leaf binder i lustrated in Figure l; j Fi re 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, per speetive View illustrating the'lever means for releasably securing thefsame in locked position; l

.a Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, partly 1n end elevation andA partly in section, `illustrating a slightly modied form of my invention; j y

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 of still another' modification of my invention; Figurey 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 of practical application Y `and adapted to be connected by one or-more binder posts 8.

The binder vheads are preferably formed from sheet metal and the lower head Ahas each binder post detachably secured thereto by a threaded member 9 in such a manner as to permit the addition of extension members, not shown. The posts are formed of a plurality of pivotally connected members and pass through openings 10 in the upper bindery headso the portions of the posts thereabove may extensibly lie therewithin. If desired, the upper binder head may be closed by a hinged cover, not shown, and commonly termed in the art'as an eye glass case cover, although such is not necessary. i The end portionsV of the posts eXtensibly lying within the channel recess of theupper binder head are adapted to be engaged with means for securing the same under tension to clamp av body of leaves between the binder heads.

In that formof my invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive,vthe free end of each binder post carries an elongated inter.- nally threaded socket member 11 in which the end 12 of an elongated stud 13' is threaded, the other end thereof having an enlargement 14 to which a lever 15 is pivotally connected. VThe levers 15 are formed from bendable materia-l" and have theirinner ends bifurcated and struck downwardly to form side flanges 16v through which the pivot pin 17 passes, the inner end portions ofthe sides 16 having instruck projections 18 lwhich register with a groove 19 located be,-

tween the enlargement and the threaded end of the stud. The projections 18 cooperate with lugs 20, fixed in theupper head and be- Vtween which the adjacent post is adapted to lie, to draw rthe/posts taut and releasably secure the same against retraction. l j 1 The outer free ends of the levers 15 are formed with finger engaging portions 21 and when it is desired to lock the binder heads in operative position, the posts are drawn into the channel of the upper head and the levers moved to .approximately vertical positions to engage their projections 18 behind the lugs 20. The ends 21 of the levers are then depressed causing the projections 18 to pivot on the lugs 2O and draw the posts taut. lVhen the ends 21 are fully depressed the projections 18 are above a horizontal line intersecting the axes of the pivots 17 so that the tension thereon does not tend to release the posts. The depressing movement ot the ends 21 of the levers limited by the shape of the side flanges 1G which abut the bottom of the upper head as illustrated in Figure 1.

Then it is desired to release the binder heads, a finger is engaged under the ends 21 to swing the levers toward a vertical position as illustrated by the lever at the right hand side of Figure 1. The tension is thus relieved from the posts and the portions thereof above the upper head are swung upwardly to form continuations ofV the portions therebelow and the upper head may be readily raised to free the sheets clamped therebeneath.

An increase or decrease in the number of sheets clamped between the binder heads is compensated for by threading the studs 12 in or out of the sockets 11 and when the studs 12 are at either of their limits of movement, extension sections, such as are well known in the art, may be applied to the ends of the posts secured to the lower head.

In that torni of my invention just described the locking and releasing lever is carried by the posts and in Figures 5 and a slightly modified construction is illustrated in which the levers are carried by the upper head and engage projections or parts carried by the posts. The end portions of the posts carry threaded studs 22 on which sockets 23 are threaded, the sockets carrying enlargements 24 on their ends. The enlargements of the sockets have studs 25 extended from their opposite sides which are engageable in locking recesses 26 in levers 27 pivoted at their inner ends, as at 28, to lugs or ears 29 mounted in the upper head outwardly of the enlargements 24.

The locking recesses of the levers 27 are inclinedrearwardly toward their pivots 28 and in closing the levers 27 are swung upwardly on their pivots and the lugs 25 of the adjacent binder posts engaged in the re cesses. The levers are then swung downwardly to lie within the upper head, thus increasing the distance between the recesses and the openings 1() through which .the binder posts pass to draw the posts taut and clamp the sheets, not shown, between the binder heads. When the parts are in locked position, the axes of the lugs 25 are below dead center, or an imaginary line horizontally intersecting the center of the pivots 28 to thus prevent the accidental release ol the binder heads. Then it is desired to compensate for an increase or decrease in the number of sheets between the binder heads, the sockets 23 are adjusted on the studs 22, but when this increase or decrease is beyond the capacity of the sockets and studs, extension sections are added to or removed from the posts.

Figure e is still another niodiication in which the tension on the posts is applied by springs 30 which also compensate tor an increase and decrease in the number o't leaves secured between the heads. The springs 30 have their outer ends secured, as at 31, within sleeves or tubes 32 fixed to the inner ends of the posts and have their inner ends secured, as at 33, to the adjacent ends of plunger-s or rods .5l-L slidable in the sleeves and carrying members 35 provided with a plurality of recesses 3G adapted to receive a locking pin 37 carried by the binder head. Each member 35 has an ear or lug 38 on its outer end with which a linger may be engaged to li't't the same free of the locking pin 37 and in use, the members 35 are drawn inwardly to place a tension on the springs 30 and engage the pins 37 with one of the openings 3G, the springs as described compensating for slight variance in thc number of sheets confined in the binder.

In Figure 7 still ar further modification is illustrated in which a tnrnbuckle device 39 is secured on the end portion ot' each binder post, the outer end stud 40 of which has an opening 41 therein which is engageable over the pin 37. The turn-buckle 21S) takes the place oi the spring 30 and compensates for variance in the number oi sheets confined between the binder heads and after the pin 31 has been engaged in the recess 41 the turn-buckle is rotated in order to apply a tension thereto, its medial port-ion being knurled, as at 42, to facilitate its operation.

I claim:

1. A looseleaf binder, comprising a pair of binder heads adapted to clamp a plurality of leaves therebetween, a plurality of substantially iexible posts adapted to adjustably connect the heads, the posts being connected at one end with one head and having their other ends free and extensibly passed through the other head, means engageable with the free end portions o't the posts to releasably connect the same with the second head under stress to clamp the leaves between the heads, and means incorporated in the extensible end portions of the posts whereby the length of the posts may be adjusted to a fine degree prior to the connectlon llu

` tensibly passed through the other head, lever means engageable with the free end portions of the posts to releasably connect the same withthe second head, and means whereby the length of the posts may be adjusted to a fine degree.

3. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a pair of binder heads adapted to clamp a plurality of leaves therebetween, a plurality of posts adapted to adj ustably connect the heads, each post having one end secured to one head and its other end free and extensibly passed through the other head, means carried by the free end of each post to readily adjust the length thereof, a lever pivotally carried by said free end portion of each post, fulcrum means extended from each lever, means carried by the second head adjacent the free end of each post and behind which the adjacent post lever fulcrum means is engageable to draw the posts taut and releasably connect the posts with the second head to clamp the leaves between the heads.

4. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a pair of binder heads, a plurality of posts adapted to adjustably connect `the* heads, each v ost having one end secured to one head an its other end free and extensibly passed through Vthe other head, an internally threaded socket pivotally carried by the free end portion of each post whereby the socket is free to assume a position parallel with the head, a stud adjustably threaded in each socket, and means engageable with each stud to releasably draw the posts taut and secure the same against retraction and connect the binder heads to clamp a body of leaves therebetween.

5. A loose-leaf binder, comprising a pair of binder heads, a plurality of posts adapted to adjustably connect the heads, each ost having one end secured to one head an its other end free and extensibly passed through the other head, an internally threaded socket carried by the free end portion of each post, a stud adjustably threaded in each socket, a lever pivotally carried by the stud of each post, a ulorum extended from each lever, and means rigid with the second head and with which the post lever fulcrums are en# gageable to engage the posts with the head against retraction. y

6. In a loose-leaf binder, yan up er binder head member, a lower substantia ly iiexible binder head, a binder post member secured to the lower binder head and adapted to be adjustably connected with the upper head member to clamp a body of leaves between the binder heads, cooperating means carried by the members for drawing the post member taut and connecting the members to clamp the leaves, and means operable to adjust the tension applied tothe post member.

7. A loose-leaf binder, comprising ya pair or' binder heads, a plurality of posts adapted to adjustably connect the heads, each ost having one end secured to one head an its other end free and extensibly passed through the other head,.an internally threaded socket pivotally carried by the'free end ortion of each post whereby the socket is iree to assume a position substantiall parallel with the head, a stud adjustably t readed in each socket, and means engageable with each stud to draw the posts taut and releasably secure the same against retraction and connect the binder heads to clamp a body of leaves there between.

Intestimony whereof I aix my signature.

HENRY C. MILLER. 

